Coupler carrier mechanism



July 2, 1935. w. J. REGAN COUPLER CARRIER MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 2, 1931 July 2, 1935.

w. J. REGAN COUPLER CARRIER MECHANI SM Filed Jan. 2, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 2, 1935. w. J. REGAN COUPLER CARRIER MECHANISM Filed 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 2, 1935. w. J. REGAN COUPLER CARRIER MECHANISM Filed Jan. 2, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 gmehtoc July 2, 1935.

W. J. REGAN COUPLER CARRIER MECHANISM Filed Jan. 2, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented July 2, 1935 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE,

COUPLER CARRIER lVIECHANISM William J. Regan, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to The McConway & Torley Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application January 2, 1931, Serial No. 506,220

11 Claims. (Cl. 213-21) My invention relates to coupler carrier mechathe coupler shank normally available for allownism designed to afford support for a car couing the coupler to move upwardly in the striking pler at a point somewhat to the rear of the head casting to compensate for track conditions inducoi the latter. ing lifting of the coupler.

The principal object of the invention is to When the coupler is not supported in amanner 5 provide a coupler carrier, operating under the permitting it to move vertically with respect to influence of gravity to center the car coupler, the striking casting as may be required in rewhich is adapted to yield so as to obviate the sponse to changes in grade or unevenness of the wear upon the coupler that is due to certain railway track, the necessary adjustment of one vertical movements thereof resulting from the coupler with respect to a mating coupler on the 10 gravity centering of the coupler. adjacent car of a train is accomplished by the At the present time the common practice is to sliding on each other of the contacting parts of provide a clearance of three-quarters of an inch the opposing couplers. In pulling this sliding between the upper side of the coupler shank and takes place between the inner or pulling faces 1 the overlying portion of the striking casting atof the knuckles, while in pushing it occurs on the tached to the car. When changes in the grade outer faces of the knuckles and the inner contour of the railway track or uneven portions of the faces of the coupler heads. By my invention a track such as frequently occur at rail joints, etc., gravity centering of the coupler is effected with cause the car coupler to rise in the striking castthe provision of means for permitting the couing this clearance permits the coupler to adjust pler carrier to move up and down with respect to 0 its position vertically to the extent of the clearthe striking casting or car frame so as to permit ance. But no provision is made for enabling the the coupler supported thereby to have vertical carrier to move downwardly with respect to the movements enabling it to adjust its position in striking casting to compensate for track conresponse to track conditions.

5 ditions inducing downward movement of the cou- A primary feature of the invention consists in pler with respect to the striking casting, for ordisupporting a coupler carrier through the instrunarily the carrier upon which the coupler shank mentality of a plurality of spaced hangers or links rests is either rigidly attached to the striking castwhich are pivotally connected to the carrier, the ing or car frame or else is supported by hangers or respec iv n s being p y pp d y links which prevent the carrier from moving members which are yieldingly mounted upon a 30 downward below the point corresponding to the striking casting or car frame. position it normally occupies when the coupler is A further feature of the invention consists in centered in the longitudinal axis of the car. supporting a Coupler carrier y hangers or lin Where hangers or links are employed to support which are rotatable with respect to the carrier the carrier so as to effect centering of the couan al o wi h respect to means for supporting 3 pler under the influence of gravity, the upper said links, said means being yieldingly pp ed ends of the hangers or links are usually pivotally on a Striking Casting the C esupported in bearings rigidly connected to the Another feature of the invention consists in striking casting either by being cast integral p vl nc a striking casting or r fram wi h a therewith or by being attached thereto. When pl y of spring seats upon which p g r 40 so supported by links the wear upon coupler heads p v y mounted, said springs serving to supand knuckles is increased beyond that occurring D Slidable members which 111 turn pp P when the support for the coupler is of the t otally movable hangers or links between which a i hi h th coupler carrier i rigidly tt d coupler carrier extends and by which the carrier to the striking casting or car frame, because when is Supported With Capability 0f Shifting laterally 45 the coupler moves to either side of the center in response to lateral Swinging Ve ts 0f the line of the striking casting, as occurs when the 001111161 car passes around a curve in the track, the lateral A Still further feature Of the invention consists swinging of the links in their bearings raises the in 0v b y supporting a Coupler carrier on a plucoupler independently of any change of grade rality of pivoted hangers or links which are re- '50 or unevenness of the track. The extent of raisp c v Supported y member? Carried y ing of the coupler in the striking casting thus springs, the said Springs being supported on the caused is governed by the amount of lateral movestriking casting or car frame and serving to yieldment of the coupler and, therefore, there is a ingly oppose downward movement of the link 65 corresponding decrease of the clearance'above supporting members.

Figure3 is a side elevational View of the mechanism.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view on the 4.4,'Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view on the line 55, Figure 2, the hangers or links which supportingly engage the carrier being in elevation.

Figure 6 is a detail plan view of the coupler carrier,

line

. Figure '7 is a detail view, partly in elevation and partly in vertical section, of the coupler carrier.

I Figure 8 is a detail end elevation of the carrier.

Figure 9 is a sectional view on the line 99, Figure '7.

a Figure 10 is a sectional View on the line III-40, Figure '7.

Figure 11 is a detail view, partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section, of one of the 'yieldingly supported members forming pivotal bearings for the hangersor links.

Figure 12 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in vertical section, of the yieldingly sup ported member shown in Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a plan view of the member shown in Figures 11 and 12.

Figure 14 is a detail sectional view on the line 14-14, Figure 12.

Figure 15 is a detail side elevational view of one of the links which supportingly engages the carrier.

Figure 16 is a front elevational view of the link shown in Figure 15.

Figure 17 is a detailed view, partly in plan and partly in horizontal section, of a slightly modified form of the frame or striking casting.

Figure 18 is a view, partly in front elevation and partly in vertical section, showing a coupler carrier mechanism employing the modified form of frame illustrated in Figure 17.

Figure 19 is a detail side elevational view of the modified form of the frame or striking casting.

Figure 20 is a vertical central section of the modified form of striking casting.

Figure 21 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 2I--2I, Figure 17.

In the drawings, I indicates a frame which preferably constitutes a striking casting fashioned as an integral member. Instead of being formed as an integral part of the car frame it is preferred to construct it as a separate casting having a rearwardly extending flange 2 whereby it may be riveted to the car end sill and having laterally spaced rearwardly extending slotted flanges 3 enabling it to be rigidly secured to the center sill of the car.

The frame I is preferably fashioned with an upper horizontal member 4, spaced side members 5 and a lower member 6 which forms a tie connecting the lower ends of the side members of the frame. The side members 5 are spaced laterally a sufficient distance to permit the coupler to have the desired range of horizontal swinging movement and each of them may advantageously be formed on itsinner side with an inwardly extending projection I which serves as a stop to limit the sidewise movement of the coupler 8. The lower ends of the stops I are located at a suflicient elevation to avoid interference with the coupler carrier 9 when the latter is shifted in response to swinging movements of the coupler. The side members 5 of the frame may advantageously be formed with longitudinally spaced parallel walls or plate-like portions I0, those at the front of the striking casting preferably being continuous with the flange II with which the bottom member 6 of the frame may be advantageously pr'ovided.-

Toward their upper ends the side walls III of the frame are rigidly connected by tie webs I2, while the lower ends of the plate-like portions III are rigidly connected and tied together by the horizontally extending wall I3 at the lower side of the frame. The frame I is thus provided at its sides with outwardly opening recesses for receiving the devices by which the carrier 9 is yieldingly supported, the frame thereby forming ahousing frame. the outer end of the Springseat'being provided with a downwardly extending flange or lip I6 which, as will hereinafter appear, serves to maintain the carrier supporting devices in assembled relation to the frame. As a further means for retaining the carrier supporting devices in assembled relation, the frame I is preferably provided at its upper end on opposite sides with lugs or flanges I! which extend downwardly a short distance below the upper ends of the spring receivingrecesses in the side frame. These depending flanges I1 respectively overlap the upper ends of the spring supported members forming pivotal bearings for the swinging links upon which the carrier 9 is supported. To provide clearance for the coupler head in buffing the central portion I8 of the horizontal wa1l.I-3'

at the bottom of the frame is depressed-thus enabling the outer ends of the walls I3 to be brought into closer proximity to the underside of the carrier 9. This is advantageous because in the event of breakage of any of the devices by which the carrier ismovably supported the outer ends of thewall I3 of the frame serve to arrest downward movement of the carrier .with a minimum drooping of the coupler. I

The devices by which thecarrier 9 is yieldingly supported with capability of shifting sidewise in .the frame I preferably comprise a plurality of links arranged in pairs on opposite sides of the frame, the links of each pair being pivotally connected and yieldingly mounted on the frame so as to be vertically movable with respect to the latter. One link I9 of each pair is pivotally connected at its lower end to the carrier 9, while theassociated link 20 from which it depends and to which it is pivoted is yieldingly supported by the adjacent spring I5. The links I9 may be conveniently fashioned at their ends with oppositely extending trunnions 2I which preferably are of conical form. The upper links or hangers -2Il, which preferably slide vertically in the frame vI, without rotation, may advantageously be formed as 22 for the respective springs I5 andhaving spaced parallel depending arms 23 which fit closely between the spaced walls Ill of the side members of the frame so as to be guided by the latter. The arms 23 of each yoke receive the adjacent spring I5 between them and pass upon opposite sides of the neighboring spring seat I4. At their lower ends the arms of each yoke are preferably provided on their opposed sides with pockets or recesses forming suitably curved bearings 24 for receiving and cooperating with the trunnions H at the upper end of the associated link I9. These trunnion bearings are of sufficient depth to prevent the possibility of accidental escape of thetrunnions. To maintain the upper end of the spring I5 in proper position, the upperend of the yoke 2?. is preferably formed with a downwardly extending thimble or boss 25 which enters the bore of the spring. Intermediate its ends each yoke 20 is integrally formed with across brace 26 which not only connects the yoke arms 23 but which also serves to maintain the adjacent spring I5 in proper operative position. The upper end of the cross brace 26 of each yoke is in spaced relation to the lower end of the adjacent lug I! at the upper end of the frame and each cross brace is preferably flanged outwardly as indicated at 21 to form a seat permitting a pry bar or the like to be employed in dismantling the structure.

The carrier 9 upon which the shank of the car coupler rests is pivotally supported on the lower ends of the links I9. To this end the carrier is preferably provided at its opposite ends with slots 28 for receiving the intermediate, portions or stems 29 of the respective links I9, the slots being appropriately formed to afford suit able clearance for the stems of the links when the coupler carrier shifts sidewise. The carrier is fashioned at its ends with downwardly opening curved recesses forming bearings 39 conforming to the surfaces of the trunnions 2|; and in order to limit its forward and rearward movement when the coupler is pulled out under draft or when the coupler is pushed inward under buffing, the carrier preferably has the outer or end portions of its upper wall widened, as at 3|, so as to stand closely adjacent to the inner faces of the vertical walls II! at the sides of the frame member I. The intermediate portion 32 of the upper wall of the carrier, forming the bearing or seat for the coupler shank is of some what less width than the ends of the carrier in order to provide clearance for the coupler head when the coupler is moved to its extreme rearward position for fully compressing the draft gear. Projecting upwardly from the top wall .of the carrier 9 are spaced lugs or flanges 33 which may advantageously be braced by flanges 34. The lugs or flanges 33 receive the shank of the coupler between them and constitute means for causing the carrier 9 to shift transversely in the frame I in response to lateral swinging movements of the coupler. As shown in the drawings, the carrier 9 may be formed as an I -beam whose upper flange is somewhat wider than its lower flange and which is provided intermediate its ends with reinforcing flanges 35.

In assembling the mechanism the carrier 9 is placed in assembled position after the coupler has been applied to the car. The springs I5, the links I9 and the spring yokes 20 are brought into assembled relation with the frame I in the following manner: The trmmions at the upper end of each of the pivotedlinks-Illsare placed in the bearings 24v at the lower-end of the sliding link or spring yoke 20 associated therewith.

Eachof the springs I5 is then compressed until 11 it is able to pass between the lower end of the thimble or boss. 25 of the, link 29 and the upper surface of the walls forming the trunnion receiving recesses in the yoke. After the pivoted links I9, the sliding links 29 and the springs I5 have thus been assembled, a clamp of the ordinaryC type with screw adjustment is then appliedso that its rigid arm extends underthe spring and above the top central portion of the link I9 between the trunnion bearings 24 at the lower or forked end of the spring yoke, the ad justable or screw end of the clamp being placed over the top of the upper wall 22 of the yoke. By. manipulating the. screw of the clamp the spring I5 is then compressed the necessary distance to. allow the upper end of the spring yoke 20 and the compressed spring to be partially entered into the space between the lower end of the downwardly extending lug at the upper end of the frame and the top of the spring seat I4.

When these parts have been entered as far as the clamp will permit they can be driven home to final assembled position. If the frame is an independent casting and not an integral part of the car frame, the springs I5, sliding links or spring yokes 20 and the carrier hangers or links I9 may be assembled on the frame either before or after the frame has been attached to the car.

. I After the shank of the car coupler has been inserted in the, opening in the frame I provided therefor, the coupler is jacked upward orotherjwise raised until the top surface .of its shank comes in contact with the lower surface of, the

upper horizontal member 4 of the frame. With the coupler in this position a sufficient space is afforded to enable the carrier 9 to be slid into the frame I beneath the coupler shank through the spacebounded by the inside surfaces of the vertical walls I0 and the upper surface of the horizontal wall I3 at the bottom of the frame.

The endof a pinch bar or lever is then inserted throughthe opening between the trunnion bearings 24 at the lower end of theyoke 2D so'as to cause it to rest on the upper end of the link I9 while fulcruming upon the lower surface of the downwardly extending lip I6 of the spring seat I4. By then moving the outer end of the lever upwardly the hanger or link I9 will be forced downwardly, compressing the spring I5 until the bottom trunnions 2I ,of the carrier hanger or link are lowered sufiiciently to permit them to pass under the carrier 9 andinto the trunnion bearings 24 of the latter, thestem 29 of the link then extending through the slot 29 of the carrier. After the links I9 have thus been brought into assembled relation with the carrier 9, the coupler is loweredto its working position. As it is necessary to compress the springs I5 while the coupler occupies its highest possible position in the frame I in order to assemble the carrier 9 with respect to the pivoted links I9, and as such conditions cannot obtain under normalworking conditions, the carrier cannot become accidentally released from the devices by which it is yieldingly supported. Moreover, as the downwardly extending lips I6 of the spring seats I4 as well asthe downwardly extending lugs H at the upper end of the frame l are of greater length than the maximum downward movement of the carrier 'l,'the,lips l6 and lugs ill act as retainers to pre- :vent the spring supported links or hangers 20 from escaping from their working positions on theframe. i

dismantling the device the coupler 'is jacked upwardly to itshighest position in the frame I and the carrier 9 is then disconnected from the links 19 by forcing-the latter downfwardly with the aid of a lever in the manner heretofore described. To disconnect the pivoted links l9 from their supporting links or yokes 20 requires that the springs and yokes shall first be removed fromthe striking casting or frame l.

'I 'l'iismay-be accomplished by employing a pinch -bar to compress thejspring until the upper end of the spring yoke 20 is slightly below the: lower surface of the adjacent downwardly extending lug'ill of the frame, 'thus also bringing the top surface of the walls forming the trunnion bearing 24 below the lower surface of the 'downwardly extending lip it of the spring seat H with which the frame I is provided. To effect this compression of the springthe pry bar is fulcrurned on the lower end of the lip 16 and its end bears downwardly against the top central portion of the link I9, in the-same manner as heretofore described.

When theyoke' 20 has thus'been forced downwardly a sufficient dismember 26 of the spring yoke.

tance the compressed spring is blocked so as to prevent the yoke from returning to normal'posi- "tion. The blocking of the'spring may be accomplished by inserting a block or bar about one inch in width and approximately one and onehalf inches deep between the top surface of the spring yoke crosstie wall 26 and the lower surface of the downwardly extending lug or wall H of the frame, the block or bar being inserted approximately on the fore and aft center line of the spring. After the spring yoke. has thus been blocked, a pinch bar can be inserted at the front or rear of the block and fulcrumed on the lower surface of the downward extension or lug l1 of'the frame with its inner end positioned back of the upper portion of the cross-tie The spring yoke andspring can then be forced outwardly by the pinch bar or lever so .as to disassemble them from the striking casting I. The thimble or yoke 25 with which the spring yoke is provided preferably extends well.down into the spring so that the latterwill come out of the striking casting or frame along with the. yoke. If desired two pinch bars may be employed in removing the 7 spring and spring yoke from the frame, one

,of the bars being inserted from the front jand one from the rear. r r In the modified form of construction illus- 'trated'inFigures .17 to 21 inclusive a frame .86

ence in the form' of the frame or striking casting, the mechanism illustrated in the modified construction is the same as that heretofore described and, accordingly, corresponding structural details have been identified by the corre- Isponding, reference numerals.

'When'the'parts are in normal working or springs, that is to say, in'excess of the weight I of the coupler head and adJacent portion of the coupler shank, the carrier 9 and the links l9 and 20. In the construction shown this initial load of the spring. is obtained by making the space between the spring seat I and the under side of the top wall of the striking casting frame I such as .to effect the desired initial spring compression when the springs are assembled with the spring yokes in the frame.

Iclaim; I

1. A coupler carrier mechanism involving a frame having laterally spaced "side members and a bottom member rigidly connected thereto,- a plurality of pivotally connected links at each side of said frame, the said links at each side of -the frame being pivotally connected together to enable them to swing with respect to eachother and one of the'links at each side of the'frame being slidable with respect to said frame and being formed with a pluralityof laterally spaced arms, a plurality of springs respectively interposed between said frame and 'said slidable links and respectively disposed between said arms of said slidable links, and a coupler carrier movable 'with respect to said pivoted links and supported thereby.

'2. A coupler carrier mechanism involving a frame provided with laterally spaced spring seats fixed with respect thereto, a pair of rigid links at each-side ofthe frame, one of the links of each pair being slidable with respect tothe frame and the other link of each pair being pivotally mounted-on the adjacent slidable link and depending from the latter, springs respec- 'tively interposed between said spring seats' of the frame and the said rigid slidable links, and a coupler carrier supported by and movable with respect to said depending links.

3. A coupler carrier'mechanism involving a plurality of laterally spaced rigidly'eonnected spring seats, springs respectively cooperating with said spring seats, a plurality of unitary links respectively supported by said 'springs,-a-' plu-,

rality of links pivotally connected respectively to said spring supported links, and a coupler carrier supported-by and movable with respect to said last-named links; v

4. A coupler carrier mechanism involvingga frame having side members each, or whichis' provided with spaced walls forming a, recess which is open at the side, said frame being provided' with spring seats respectively extending between the spaced walls of said side members,

spring yokes respectively positioned-in said, re-

cesses, springs respectively interposed between the spring yokes and the spring seats, a coupler.

carrier, and spacedlinks respectively connecting said carrier tothe spring yokes, said frame being provided with means respectively overlapping said spring yokes for normally retaining the latter in said recesses of the side members'of the frame, each of said spring yokes having aplurality of spaced arms passing on opposite sides of the said spring and spring seat'ass'ociated therewith, and each of said links being pivotally connected to said coupler carrier and to one of the spring yokes. 1

5. A coupler carrier mechanism'involving s frame having side members provided with longitudinally spaced walls,, and having sprin'g seats respectively extending into the spaces between said walls, springs respectively mounted on said spring seats, a plurality of spring yokes respectively supported by said springs, each of said yokes being positioned between the said space-d walls at opposite sides of the frame and being formed with spaced arms ext-ending on opposite sides of the respective springs and spring seats, said yoke arms being rigidly connected at their upper ends and being connected by a cross brace between their ends and being provided at their lower ends with curved bearings, a coupler carrier, and a plurality of links for supporting the couple carrier, each of said links being pivotally connected to said carrier and being pivotally supported in said curved bearings of one of said yokes.

6. A coupler carrier mechanism involving a frame having vertically spaced top and bottom members and laterally spaced side members, each of said side members being formed with spaced walls, a coupler carrier projecting at its ends into the spaces between said walls of the respective side members of the frame, a plurality of laterally spaced link devices suspended from said frame for supporting said coupler carrier, and a plurality of springs respectively interposed between said frame and the link devices, each of said link devices being pivotally connected to said carrier, said bottom member of the frame being formed with a horizontally extending wall projecting under said coupler carrier and provided with a de pressed central portion, and said coupler carrier being widened at its ends for cooperation with said spaced walls of the side members of the frame.

7. A coupler carrier mechanism involving a frame provided with side members having longitudinally spaced walls and provided with spring seats respectively extending between said walls intermediate of the height of said side members, each of said spring seats being formed at its outer end with a depending lip, a plurality of springs respectively supported by said spring seats, a plurality of yokes respectively supported by said springs, a coupler carrier, and a plurality of laterally spaced links for connecting the coupler carrier to the respective yokes, each of said yokes being formed with spaced arms provided at their lower ends with recessed portions constituting pivotal bearings for the respective links, said bearing portions being positioned beneath the respectively adjacent spring seats and being overlapped by the said lip adjacent thereto, said links being pivotally connected to the coupler carrier, and said coupler carrier being provided with means adapted to receive the shank of a car coupler between them.

8. A coupler carrier mechanism involving a frame, a plurality of pairs of links, a coupler carrier supported by said links, and springs respectively interposed between each pair of links and the frame, one link of each pair being provided with laterally spaced arms free at their lower ends and being provided at its lower end with conically curved recesses and one link of each pair being provided at its upper end with conically curved trunnions positioned in said conically curved recesses.

9. A coupler carrier mechanism involving a frame, a plurality of pivotally connected links at each side of said frame, one of the links at each side of the frame being slidable with respect to said frame and the latter being formed with side members engageable by said slidable links for guiding said slidable links, a plurality of springs respectively interposed between said frame and said slidable links, and a coupler carrier movable with respect to said pivotally connected links and supported thereby.

10. A coupler carrier mechanism involving a coupler carrier and means for yieldingly supporting said coupler carrier, said means involving laterally spaced devices movably connected to said coupler carrier and each comprising a plurality of pivotally connected links and spring means for yieldingly supporting said links.

11. A coupler carrier mechanism involving a frame having vertically spaced top and bottom members and laterally spaced side members, each of said side members being formed with a forward wall and a rear wall in spaced relation thereto, a coupler carrier projecting at its ends into the spaces between said walls of the respective side members of the frame, a plurality of laterally spaced link devices suspended from said frame for supporting said coupler carrier, and a plurality of springs respectively interposed between said frame and the link devices, each of said link devices being pivotally connected to said carrier, and said bottom member of the frame being provided with a depressed central portion whose forward face is disposed rearwardly of said forward walls of the side members of said frame, said bottom member being provided on opposite sides of said depressed portion with laterally spaced portions extending under said carrier.

WILLIAM J. REGAN. 

